The music in me
by Chorelli
Summary: Sweetie Belle is determined to get her Cutie Mark performing during this year's Ponyville fair. But when she's given the opportunity to take the backseat and listen to others perform her original work or sing a solo in front of hundreds of ponies, will it be her nerves or her dreams that control her?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! Thanks so much for clicking on my story. (:**

**Although I've been hovering around FF for a few years now and I've always loved to write, this is the very first story I've published! It's going to have at least one, maybe two more chapters to it (I think) but I would absolutely love to receive any and all comments/criticisms you have for this first chapter!**

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"Okay class, before I let you go for the day I have one more piece of exciting news... it involves the annual Ponyville fair!" Miss Cheerilee announced brightly. Sweetie Belle exchanged grins and winks with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, knowing that just like always the three of them were thinking the exact same thing. If there was even the tiniest chance for the trio to earn their Cutie Marks with Miss Cheerilee's exciting news then they were going to take it!

"This year the Mayor wants to put together a Choir and Orchestra to perform for everyone who attends the fair!" Miss Cheerilee beamed around at the eager faces of her young students. "Auditions for both the choir and orchestra will be held in three days' time, on this coming Saturday. It's open to absolutely any-pony and the Mayor has promised it will be a lot fun for every-pony involved! And if you don't want to perform, there's also the option of writing a song for the musical groups to perform instead," Miss Cheerilee smiled encouragingly.

Sweetie Belle tried to suppress a heavy sigh of relief as Miss Cheerilee finished her announcement. She loved singing but the idea of performing made her legs weak… at least now she could still be a part of the performance at the festival from behind the scenes. And she could definitely earn her Cutie Mark by writing an original piece of music! Sweetie Belle tuned the rest of her teacher's spiel out as she fantasised about what a songwriter's Cutie Mark would look like… A sheet of music? A cloud of music notes? A pen and a blank sheet? The possibilities were endless!

A few seconds later the bell rang, releasing a stream of eager little ponies and drowning out Miss Cheerilee's parting words to her rambunctious class, just like it did every day. Jarred out of her daydream, Sweetie Belle scrambled out of her chair and raced to catch up with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

"Did you guys hear that?! We could get our Cutie Marks for music," she gushed as soon as her hooves had made it out the school's front doors.

"You betcha! If I don't get my Cutie Mark for being a wicked flag carrier at the Games, I'll definitely get it for my awesome shredding skills on the electric guitar," Scootaloo bragged as she darted off towards the rack where she kept her scooter during school hours. As she made her way back to the steps where Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were waiting for her she whirred her wings extra fast and did a quick spin to show off for her friends.

"Very impressive," Apple Bloom winked at their friend, "But I'm not sure whether they accept electric guitars in orchestras... I'm thinkin' of the double bass! I don't think there'll be very much competition that way," she added by way of explanation, catching sight of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's sceptical expressions.

"Whatever. I bet I can find something else for the orchestra... It has to be real loud though so I stand out in front of the crowd!" Scootaloo bellowed, charging down the steps on her scooter and leading the way for the other two.

"Well _I'm _thinking of writing a song for the performance instead of actually playing something," Sweetie Belle announced, grinning at her friends. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom exchanged glances and then turned back to her with huge smiles.

"Awesome! You should totally write a rock ballad," Scootaloo told her. "I could so help you out with that! I know all there is to know about writing a rock ballad," she boasted, whirring her wings and spinning her scooter in a circle for emphasis.

Sweetie Belle chewed at her lip, surprised by the pang of irritation she felt at Scootaloo's words. Normally she loved help from her friends, but Scootaloo's suggestion of writing a rock ballad for a choir and orchestra to perform was just silly and Sweetie Belle didn't want to be the one to have to tell her, nor the one who would turn in such a piece of music for the Mayor and the rest of the Ponyville fair organisers to see. Before she could figure out a tactful way of telling her friend so, Apple Bloom cut into her thoughts.

"Why don't you audition for the choir, Sweetie? We all know you have an amazin' voice! You could totally be one of the soloists," Apple Bloom claimed, nodding her head enthusiastically.

Sweetie Belle instantly opened her mouth to protest but the words died in her throat at the word 'solo.'

"H-hold on, Miss Cheerilee didn't mention nothin' about a solo!" She exclaimed, feeling a sudden rush of excitement which was just as quickly dampened by a flood of nerves. A solo was Sweetie Belle's dream, but she couldn't stand the thought of all those eyes trained solely on her. Still, if there was a chance that she could sing a solo… Apple Bloom sensed her friend's hesitation and decided to seize the chance to encourage her.

"It was in the last part of Miss Cheerilee's speech!" She explained, bouncing around Sweetie Belle in excitement. "She said that in addition to the regular auditions just to get into the choir or the orchestra they're also going to be auditioning for soloists! Just imagine Sweetie, it would be so cool, standing up there in front of everyone and the only one anyone's interested in hearing is you!" Apple Bloom beamed, going in for the kill with her last words, imagining that Sweetie Belle would be as eager for the spotlight as she and Scootaloo were.

But Sweetie Belle blanched at her friend's well-intentioned words and shook her head vigorously, wincing slightly as she imagined those eyes trained on her. The shock of hearing about the solos was fading and she was silently telling herself off for tuning out of Miss Cheerilee's speech and not being more prepared for the news. Although she had a strong desire to sing and perform pulling at her, it was overwhelmed by her nerves and she knew there was absolutely no way she could get up there and perform for everyone at the Ponyville fair.

"No, that's okay," she told her friend, trying to ignore the way Apple Bloom's big grin slipped off her face and the confused _What'd I do? _glance she shared with Scootaloo. "I really want to write this song for everyone to perform. In fact, I already know some of the lyrics and I don't wanna forget them, so I'm gonna got to Rarity's place… I'll meet you later, okay? Byeeee!" Sweetie Belle rambled, whirling around and taking off in the direction of Carousel Boutique before her friends could question or encourage her decision further.

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Back at Rarity's boutique, Sweetie Belle shut herself inside the room reserved for her during sleepovers and settled down with a few blank sheets of music in front of her. Despite what she'd told her friends, she didn't have any brilliant ideas for this song she wanted to write and she wasn't sure where she would get any. But the music was due in three days and after she'd left her friends in such a rush and without a proper explanation she was determined to produce something great, so it wouldn't feel like she'd lied to them so badly. Sweetie Belle smiled to herself as she heard Rarity banging about in the room next door to hers, the familiar sounds of her sister constructing outfits and decorations for the fair lulling her into a writing mood. Sweetie Belle carefully lifted her pen and gently touched it to one of the sheets in front of her, feeling a small spark of inspiration. She was going to write something Cutie Mark worthy, she could just feel it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so this is Chapter 2! Hope you like it :)**

**I get the feeling that I tend to ramble on and be quite longwinded, do you guys think this is a problem? Please let me know, I'm eager to grow as a writer!**

**Thank you to BelleNPurp for the review and the idea for the girls to go to Pinkie for help with their musical ****endeavours! **

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"Sweetie? Sweetie Belle! Sweetie _Belle!"_

Sweetie Belle jerked awake to the all-too-familiar sound of her sister's 'unhappy' voice. She sheepishly raised her head from where it was resting against her desk, realising with surprise that she must have fallen asleep while writing her song last night. Rarity was standing in her doorway, a fixed expression with more resemblance to a grimace than a grin plastered on her features.

"Sweetie Belle," Rarity repeated through gritted teeth. "Your darling friends decided to call early before school today so that they could hear this masterpiece of a song they claim you've written." Rarity quirked an eyebrow at her sister expectantly while Scootaloo and Apple Bloom leaned out behind her on either side, looking extremely guilty.

"Erm," Sweetie Belle awkwardly shuffled her music sheets behind her, dismayed when she caught a glimpse of the empty bar lines and she remembered how quickly her inspiration had left her the previous night. Sure enough, when she glanced over at her sister and friends again all three of them were staring at her overflowing rubbish bin, a sure sign that there was no masterpiece to present to them that morning. "Um, I don't really… have anything to show, um, at the moment, um, maybe later…" She stumbled over the words, trailing off as Rarity gave a haughty sniff and lifted her nose into the air.

"Well, then the three of you can go out for an early morning walk before school seeing as you're here so early… and that way you can stay out of mane! I've been working all night on these outfits for the Ponyville fair and just when I finally collapse into bed; just _overcome_ by exhaustion, the two of _you _appear on my doorstep!" Rarity cried overdramatically, swinging her hooves about for emphasis. "Oh I _do _hope I have enough time to get some beauty sleep in before my friends arrive for their fittings…" She muttered to herself, trotting anxiously away from Sweetie Belle's room.

For a moment the three fillies stared after her in dismay until finally Scootaloo crowed "What got _her_ tail in a knot?" in an attempt to end the silence.

Sweetie Belle tried not to bristle at her friend's brash words, she knew that Scootaloo was an only-foal and didn't realise that big sisters were to be looked up to and admired at all times; no matter how rude and annoying they could be. Instead she forced a smile onto her face and scuffed her way over to her friends. "I'm sorry I don't have anything to show you guys today… I _had _a brilliant song but as soon as I tried to write it down I lost it!" She claimed sadly, feeling guilty that she was tiptoeing around the truth again. Sure she'd had inspiration the night before but it was hardly a full song. But instead of asking difficult questions her two best friends exchanged glances and turned back to her with full grins.

"Well let's go find it then!" Scootaloo cheered, whirring her wings and pumping her hoof until a deliberate thump from the direction of Rarity's bedroom reminded the trio that they weren't alone. Giggling together, the three friends turned tail and raced down the stairs and out the door into the sunshine. As soon as they were clear of Carousel Boutique and the threat of Rarity's wrath if they woke her from her beauty sleep, Apple Bloom started telling Sweetie Belle the plans she and Scootaloo had devised after Sweetie Belle left them yesterday.

"So first we're gunna go see Pinkie Pie cos she plays the instruments me an' Scoot wanna audition with for the orchestra," Apple Bloom chattered as they trotted further away from Carousel Boutique and closer to the heart of Ponyville, where they all knew they'd find Pinkie up bright and early and helping to set up shop before the Cakes were even out of bed.

"Yeah! You should come with us, maybe being surrounded by music will help you to write that awesome rock ballad," Scootaloo added encouragingly as she whizzed past Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom on her scooter. Both of her friends rolled their eyes and then Apple Bloom turned back to Sweetie Belle with an encouraging smile. "Don't worry about her, Sweetie, I just know you're gonna right the perfect country tune! My family and me'll be singing it on all our road trips for years, I bet it'll be that good." Apple Bloom beamed at Sweetie and then trotted off to catch up with Scootaloo, satisfied with her encouraging speech. But Sweetie Belle was floored by her friend's words. Scootaloo wanted a rock ballad and now Apple Bloom wanted a country tune? How was she going to fit both genres into one song and include something she waned to hear as well? Sweetie Belle lowered her head miserably, this song was proving hard enough to write already; she didn't want to think about how she was going to be able to get everyone happy with the finished product.

A few minutes later and the fillies were tumbling noisily through the doorway of Sugarcube Corner, startling the sleepy-eyed Mr and Mrs Cake who were slowly stacking the glass cabinet with their freshly baked goods while Pinkie bobbed around in the background opening the curtains on the windows and muttering something about new decorations. When she caught side of the Cutie Mark Crusaders she gave a high-pitched squeal and bounded forward to sweep them up into a humongous hug.

"Hi girls! What are you doing here?! It's a bit early for school, isn't it?!" Pinkie demanded, bouncing around the Crusaders non-stop as she chattered, punctuating every sentence with an exclamation mark, even when she was supposed to be asking a question. The three friends settled on the floor together and shared amused glances.

"Well," Apple Bloom started during a brief lull in Pinkie's ramblings, "I was wonderin' if you could teach me the double bass and Scootaloo…" She trailed off resignedly as Pinkie Pie gave a delighted squeal and chased off to find something or the other. A heartbeat later and she was back again, tugging a massive case behind her that quite obviously belonged to a tuba and not a double bass.

"Uh, Pinkie…" Apple Bloom started, furrowing her brow in confusion but the pink Earth pony quickly shushed her.

"Listen here Apple B! You're gonna love this, and I bet you'll be TOTALLY pro at it too! The tuba is such a noble instrument," Pinkie gushed while Apple Bloom stupidly opened and closed her mouth while debating whether or not to tell the other pony that she'd asked for a double bass instead of a tuba. Before she could make up her mind however, Pinkie blasted out a tune on the tuba and subsequently whipped out six other instruments. Sweetie Belle registered a flute, a pair of bongo drums and a banjo before her ears were assaulted by Pinkie somehow managing to play all seven instruments simultaenously and she was forced to turn her head away before the racket caused her head to explode. Amazingly, Pinkie was playing her song perfectly in tune despite the number of instruments she was managing at one time, but the volume of her playing was enough to raise the roof on Sugarcube corner. Sweetie Belle glanced over at her friends to see if they were feeling the same way as she was, but one look at their excited smiles as they analysed the instruments Pinkie was playing and Sweetie Belle knew she had lost them until it was time for them all to leave for school. As subtly as she could, Sweetie turned and snuck away into a corner behind the counter; where she wasn't being blasted by the music as badly. She exchanged a sheepish grin with the Cakes, who were cringing away from the noise on the floor as well, and pulled some of her sheet music out of the satchel she carried to school. She was surrounded by music like Scootaloo had said earlier, so she might as well try to make the most of it. Sweetie carefully touched her pen to the paper again, beginning to form the first tentative notes of her new song.


End file.
